Goodwill stores in Will County report no credit card fraud

JOLIET – Fears of possible credit card fraud at Goodwill stores have so far come up empty, with stores in Will County showing no signs of fraudulent activity.

Federal authorities and a payment card industry fraud investigative unit contacted Goodwill Industries International Inc. on July 18 and informed the company that several U.S. stores may have had payment card numbers stolen, according to a news release.

None of the stores in Illinois – including those in Joliet, Plainfield and New Lenox – have shown signs of fraudulent activity, said Pat Boelter, Goodwill chief marketing officer.

“At this point, there is no evidence,” he said.

Investigators are still reviewing available information. Boelter said the Goodwill stores do not use the platforms that were reported as potentially compromised. Those platforms would be the point of sale system provider or hosting organizations.

Goodwill stores across the U.S. are working with industry contacts and federal authorities on the investigation and plan to work with any individual location if data was compromised, Goodwill officials said in a news release.

Goodwill stores in Will County are run under the Goodwill Industries of Metropolitan Chicago Inc.

The nonprofit organization aims to provide training, employment and supportive services for people with disabilities seeking greater independence, according to its website.

More than 5,700 employees work in 85 locations throughout Goodwill’s Chicago and southeastern Wisconsin region.